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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. clip — to cut
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. kid — child
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. kid — to tease
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bear — the animal
  17. clip — a video
  18. pop — soda
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pop — music
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. clip — for paper

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com